Price Gouging? Or just trying to survive?

[TheCat]

Not sure if anyone else has noticed a few local establishments really bumping prices in very recent times?

I know there was a thread on this at the start of lockdown with regards to grocery stores taking advantage of shortages - and that seemed like a clear situation of price gouging.

But, more recently. I'm referring to local, non-essential shops ramping prices.

For example...without naming any business names....

A chippy charging ?5.50 for a portion of takeaway chips - I reluctantly paid, expecting it to be a massive portion for the whole family (it wasn't)

A wine/beer merchant charging ?5 for un-chilled, 330ml cans of mid-strength, pale ale. Note: This is just from a shop, not for service and consumption on licensed premises. OR for a treat, if you want their staff to choose you a random selection (sorry - 'carefully hand picked') of 6 pale ales, They'll do you a 6-pack (again, 330ml cans, not pints) for a bargain price of 32 quid!!!

Obviously part of me finds these prices obscene. Then another part of me says that these non-essential shops are likely to be struggling given everything going on, and perhaps I should just support local businesses by paying a bit extra in the near term.

What are the rest of Edf's thoughts? And are their other examples you've seen?

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

They all seems to be doing it. My online grocery shop costs a bomb despite the fact that I?m buying the same things. Ironic given the job losses and cut in pay for a lot of people.

[Jules-and-Boo]

You don't have to spend your money in these places.

What you have described is obscene, but if people go along with it, it will become the new normal, as I can't see a price drop when they have made any amount of profit

[JohnL]

TheCat Wrote:

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> A wine/beer merchant charging ?5 for un-chilled,

> 330ml cans of mid-strength, pale ale. Note: This

> is just from a shop, not for service and

> consumption on licensed premises. OR for a treat,

> if you want their staff to choose you a random

> selection (sorry - 'carefully hand picked') of 6

> pale ales, They'll do you a 6-pack (again, 330ml

> cans, not pints) for a bargain price of 32

> quid!!!

>

Online is much much cheaper than that - 48 cans for ?56 is my go to (but not local - I pay a bit more for local - but that means locally brewed like the excellent Peckham Pilsner)

I can only think this is for park drinking - if not you need to place the next order before you run out - that would be a disaster.

[bobbsy]

Jules-and-Boo Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You don't have to spend your money in these

> places.

>

> What you have described is obscene, but if people

> go along with it, it will become the new normal,

> as I can't see a price drop when they have made

> any amount of profit

Completely agree, I'll avoid buying at any places charging prices as such.

[siousxiesue]

Any place asking that much for chips is taking the pee, would've choked on em

[SpringTime]

Larger tins of Ortiz tuna at the General Store in Peckham* have gone up from ?7.95 a pop to ?8.45. Is that a bargain?

*Yes, Peckham.

[Spartacus]

Some price rises are down to suppliers increasing their costs and not the business trying to get extra income.

It's a tricky one to judge and different stores may charge different prices depending on their stock levels and when they get a delivery (supplier prices may go down as demand decreases or up if supplier stock levels are low )

So before you judge a store / business make sure it is them and not the supply chain

[Abe_froeman]

Those ?5 to ?10 a can limited edition beers don?t even taste good.

It?s real emperor?s new clothes territory.

[SpringTime]

Spartacus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Some price rises are down to suppliers increasing

> their costs and not the business trying to get

> extra income.

>

> It's a tricky one to judge and different stores

> may charge different prices depending on their

> stock levels and when they get a delivery

> (supplier prices may go down as demand decreases

> or up if supplier stock levels are low )

>

> So before you judge a store / business make sure

> it is them and not the supply chain

True enough Spart, but still amazed some of these items are actually for sale at these prices regardless. Perhaps I am poor, or just showing my age. Remember when you could get two of those sherbet flying saucers for one penny?

[Spartacus]

That's age springtime

And you could get two ten penny chews for a shinny new penny 😃

[bsand]

Down that rabbit hole post COVID and companies saying you can work from home. A 3/4 bedder on Crystal Palace Road or this....

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-92775137.html

(Approximately 2 Acres)

[JohnL]

Lots of people are now free to move out of London to something of euivilent cost but nicer. Just noticed Boris saying we all should go back to our offices as he's realised hospitality businesses in Office areas have no customers.

It's too late Bozza - We closed our offices and moved to a WFH model and so did many many others.

What did he expect

[Jules-and-Boo]

yes, it makes London less attractive if we don't need to commute

[Spartacus]

bsand Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Down that rabbit hole post COVID and companies

> saying you can work from home. A 3/4 bedder on

> Crystal Palace Road or this....

>

> https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop

> erty-92775137.html

>

> (Approximately 2 Acres)

Dulwich or Benfleet

Hmmmm no brainer really Dulwich every time 😱

[JohnL]

Spartacus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> bsand Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Down that rabbit hole post COVID and companies

> > saying you can work from home. A 3/4 bedder on

> > Crystal Palace Road or this....

> >

> >

> https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop

>

> > erty-92775137.html

> >

> > (Approximately 2 Acres)

>

>

> Dulwich or Benfleet

>

> Hmmmm no brainer really Dulwich every time

> 😱

People moving to Devon and the Welsh Borders in just my limited group - so it's more than Dulwich versus The Suburbs.

[Spartacus]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Spartacus Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > bsand Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Down that rabbit hole post COVID and

> companies

> > > saying you can work from home. A 3/4 bedder

> on

> > > Crystal Palace Road or this....

> > >

> > >

> >

> https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop

>

> >

> > > erty-92775137.html

> > >

> > > (Approximately 2 Acres)

> >

> >

> > Dulwich or Benfleet

> >

> > Hmmmm no brainer really Dulwich every time

> > 😱

>

> People moving to Devon and the Welsh Borders in

> just my limited group - so it's more than Dulwich

> versus The Suburbs.

Sorry , you misinterpreted my comment

Moving out yes but Benfleet no

[Abe_froeman]

They'll be back!!

How many "look at me" cheese on toast shops do they even have in places called "Wales" or "Devon" anyway?

[bsand]

I have no ideas of the pro or cons of Benfleet but passed briefly through it on the way to Canvey Island! The breathless CAPS DESCRIPTION from the estate agent tells it's own story...

The current contraction though is off the scale of bad. We need that vaccine and soon, please.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-economic-meltdown-revealed-investigation-a4496441.html

[JohnL]

Spartacus Wrote:

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> Sorry , you misinterpreted my comment

>

> Moving out yes but Benfleet no

I googled - It's near Southend :)

[bsand]

I regret mentioning Benfleet now thous Leigh-on-Sea also near Southend is pretty much East Dulwich on Sea with an older bent, high property prices, good schools and clean air.

[Sue]

Leigh is lovely!